Apparatus for operating upon rubber-stock and like material



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APPARATUS FOR OPERATING UPON RUBBER STOCK AND LIKE MATERIAL Filed Feb. 1, 1932 ll Sheets-Sheet ll Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED ST APPARATUS FOR OPERATING UPON RUB- BER-STOCK AND LIKE MATERIAL Application February 1, 1932, Serial No. 590,109

164 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for operating upon such material as sheet-rubber and is particularly concerned with the production of soles for footwear. Certain features of the unreeling mechanism disclosed herein are covered by claims in an application for Letters Patent of the United States for improvements in Systems for delivering sheet material, filed in my name on December 16, 1930 and bearing the Serial No. 502,739. This application matured on December 25, 1934,into Patent No. 1,985,524. Divisional applications, directed to the web-supplying means and to the driving mechanism of the present case, were filed on April 3, 1933, these bearing the respective Serial Numbers 664,190 and 664,189.

An object of this invention is to cut soles or other work-pieces from an extended strip or web of material, with or without the impression upon said pieces of figures or designs, the operations being performed upon the stock rapidly, accurately and in a generally effective manner.

For the attainment of this object, I provide apparatus having, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, unreeling mechanism by which the web of rubber or other stock is supplied to feeding mechanism for such operating means as cutting mechanism in which a cutting device cooperates with a pattern during active and in active periods and which severs the soles or work pieces from the stock, and, when desired, embossing mechanism, which impresses a design upon the soles. The feeding means advances the stock step by step in proper time-relation for the actions upon it. To relieve the more or less weak and flaccid stock from strain in its delivery, it is illustrated as unwound from a supply-reel by means operating independently of the feeding means, as by means governed by the stock itself. The unreeling action is thus rendered independent of the length of the feeding steps, which change with the size of the soles produced. The embossing or impression mechanism has a die, which may be opposed by a cooperating platen, said die being arranged for mounting upon either side of the strip. I provide for variations in the space between the cutting and design-producing mechanisms longitudinally of the line of feed to correspond to the length of the feeding steps and therefore to the size of the soles produced, and also a variation transversely of the line of feed to locate the design in the desired areas transversely of the strip or longitudinally of the soles. Adjustable guiding means is also preferably furnished to insure the proper presentation of strips of stock of different widths to the operating mechanisms, the engagement of the guiding mews being with the opposite edges of the stock. The feeding mechanism preferably includes separate strip- 51 advancing means, shown as a rotatable feeding roll and a traveling feed-belt, upon the latter the cutting operation being performed. At the out:v ting mechanism, the stock is illustrated as clamped upon the belt between a pattern for 10 determining the contour of the piece produced and an opposed pressure device. The cut pieces are caused to adhere to the belt under the ine fluence of the pressure, and the scrap guided away from said belt. The work-pieces may con- 15 sequently be separated readily from the scrap and collected conveniently. Among the-novel features which are embodied; in the illustrated apparatus and contribute to its efficiency are the following, it being under.- 0 stood that in each instance the arrangement disrj' closed represents but one of the several ,em-..

bodiments which the particular phase of the invention may assume: The organization of the feeding mechanism, this having one'section in;

rality of directions for different work-sizes; the-'35 I way in which the stock is gaged toposition it. at the beginning of operation of the apparatus; the patterns provided with oppositely inclined surfaces and being reversible for the cutting of both right and left soles; the mounting of the patterns 40 to permit them to be changed readily and retained firmly; the support and yieldable operaf tion of the pressure device which co-operates, with the pattern; the manner of maintaining the; stock in the proper relation to the cutting mech anismand insuring its advance by the feeding ,means; the employment of interchangeable pat- -.g terns and cuttingrdevices; the means by which, the path of the traveling knife or other cutting. device is caused to closely conform to the pattern; the provision of means for resisting the; movement of the knife out of the plane of thepattern; the way in which a force is adjustably exerted to urge the knife into co -operation with the pattern for cutting, and the knife held clear of the pattern for changing said knife; the automatic movement of the knife into and out of cutting relation to avoid injuring the work for a certain type of cut; the manner in which the knife is mounted, co-operates with and is guided by the pattern; and the heating of the knife to facilitate cutting and the separation of the cut piecesand scrap.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a particular embodiment of my invention, including two forms of the cutting mechanism. In these drawings,

Figs. 1 and 2, placed with the sheets end to end and Fig. 1 at the left, show the entire apparatus in broken side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail illustrating the actuating means for the stock-feeding belt;

Fig. 4 is a broken end elevation of the unreeling mechanism viewed from the right of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary perspective views of said unreeling mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail upon the line VII--VII of Fig. 5;

Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views upon the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 6 and line IXIX of Fig. 5, respectively;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on the line XX of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11, a full vertical longitudinal section on the line X[XI of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12, an enlarged broken side elevation of the drive-controlling mechanism;

Fig. 13, a broken plan of said mechanism;

Fig. 14, a perspective view of a portion of the latching means for the clutch-lever, the elements being shown as separated;

Fig. 15, an enlarged elevation of the undercutting mechanism, with parts in section;

Figs. 16, 17 and 18, partial horizontal sections respectively taken on the lines XV IXVI, XVII- XVII and XVIII-XVIII of Fig. 10;

Fig. 19, an enlarged section on the line XIX XIX of Fig. 11;

Figs. 20 to 26, inclusive, show, by fragmentary vertical sections, successive positions of the pattern, pressure device and undercutting knife for the complete cutting operation;

Fig. 27 is a detail, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, particularly illustrating the means for longitudinally adjusting the embossing mechanism;

Fig. 28, a broken side elevation of the patternsupport;

Fig. 29, a broken perspective of the pressureplate;

Fig. 30, a broken top plan view of the knifecarrying arm with the means for moving said arm away from the pattern;

Fig. 31 illustrates, partly in elevation and partly in section, an arrangement of pattern and knifeholder for overcutting, together with means for heating the knife;

Fig. 32 is a detail in elevation of connections for supplying a heating current of electricity;

Figs. 33 and 34 are sectional details of the knife-holder and knife on the lines XXXIII XXXIII and XXXIVXXXIV, respectively, of Fig. 31;

Fig. 35 (Sheet 2) is a bottom plan view of an inside-bevel sole cut and embossed by the apparatus; and

Fig. 36 is a transverse section on the line XXXVI-XXXVI of Fig. 35.

The illustrated apparatus includes six co-operating mechanisms, appearing in Figs. 1 and 2.

The first of these, designated as A, unreels webmaterial, as rubber stock with a design previously formed upon one side from which soles or other Work-pieces are to be cut, the delivery being so controlled that the material is presented to the succeeding intermittently acting feeding mechanism B without being subjected to stresses produced by drawing it from the reel. The unreeled material is advanced by the feeding mechanism, and, while still in web-form, is subjected to the action of embossing mechanism 0, which produces upon the areas from which the soles are to be out such designs as trade-marks and size-designations. Cutting mechanism D, with which is associated a portion of the feeding mechanism, severs the soles one by one from the web, this being in effective operation during periods of rest of the feeding mechanism. Separating and conveying mechanism E removes the cut pieces and scraps from the cutting mechanism by separate paths. The apparatus, save for the unreeling mechanism A which is independently actuated, receives power from driving mechanism F (Fig. 11)

Specific examples of the work which my improved apparatus is adapted to perform are furnished by two types of rubber soles. One of these, designated as S, is illustrated in Figs. 35 and 36 and may be said to have an inside bevel about its periphery. That is, the edge is inclined at T downwardly and outwardly toward the tread-surface. When such a sole is attached to a shoe-bottom with the thin margin turned up and cemented to the foxing-area, there is produced what is commonly called a rolled edge, the initially beveled surface being rounded outwardly from the tread. The other type of sole has an outside bevel, the inclination being downward and inward to the tread. This, cemented to a shoebottom, gives the effect known as a straight edge or one which is nearly vertical to the tread. Both types of soles ordinarily have over the forepart a roughened area U, and at the heel a similar, thicker area V. Between these is a shank-portion W thinner than either, upon which are embossed a trade-mark X and a size-number Y. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the inside bevel for the rolled-edge sole is produced by the mechanism D as illustrated in Figs. 15 and 20 to 26, inclusive, in which a cutting device or knife K penetrates the stock from above, being inclined downwardly and inwardly beneath the sole-area to undercut. For the formation of an outside bevel, giving a straight-edge sole by overcutting, a knife N is inclined downwardly and outwardly, as appears in Fig. 31. If, because of any preference on the part of a manufacturer based, for example, on factory practice or arising from the nature of particular work, it is not desired to shift the knives and their carriers when the type of sole changes, either of such mechanisms, preferably the overcutting arrangement with the knife N, may be employed for both the inside and outside bevels, the relation of the tread-surface of the stock being reversed to present its pattern-surface either at the upper or the under side. In this connection, the elements of the embossing mechanism C are arranged to be Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 4 to 9, inclusive, the unreeling mechanism A is shown as carried upon a wheel-truck or base 35, which is alined with a frame 32 supporting the other mechanisms. From the base rises a frame consisting of spaced vertical uprights 34, 34 and. upwardly and inwardly inclined members 35, 36, together with whatever tying and bracing members may be desirable. At the opposite junctures of the frame members 34 and-35 are bearings 38, upon which rotate the spindles of a reel 40, the freedom of rotation of which may be governed by a spring-actuated brake 3'! bearing upon the periphery of one of the cheeks of the reel. This reel, when supplied to the apparatus, contains a coil of material R to be operated upon, this, in the present instance, being a continuous web of rubber stock. Since this stock, when freshly calendered, is relatively soft, the convolutions of the coil are held out of contact with one another by separating means, here shown as two in number. One of these designated as L, is of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,838,792, dated December 29, 1931, and having spaced transverse slats 39 extending between sprocket-chains 4i. This furnishes a spiral cell, in which the material is held without substantial pressure upon its opposite faces. I prefer to further protect the stock by winding with it a web I of textile material or liner, this guarding the stock at its inner side against indentation by the slats of the separator L.

As the stock is advanced by the feeding mechanism B to the embossing mechanism C and cutting mechanism D, it is unreeled by forces applied to the separators only as it is required, the time of this action being determined by the condition of a slack loop depending at r between the mechanisms A and B. For this purpose, the chains of the separator L are engaged by sprocket-wheels 42, 42 fast upon a horizontal shaft 44 rotatable in brackets mounted upon the. frame members 36. This shaft is joined by a chain 45 of spur-gearing and a friction device 4'! (Fig. '7) to a countershaft 48 journaled across the frame members 36, said countershaft receiving power from a motor 50 upon the base 30 through belt-gearing 52, a friction-clutch 54 (Fig. 9), reduction-gearing contained within a casing 55 and sprocket-gearing 58. As the separator L is drawn off by the rotation of the sprocket-wheels 42, it is wound upon a reel 60, the spindle of which turns in bearings 62 upon the uprights 34. Rotation is imparted to the reel 69 to coil upon it the separator L by grooved rolls 64, 64 rotatable upon arms 66 arranged to turn about the shaft 48, from which shaft the rolls are driven through sprocket-gearing 58. Springs 69 connecting the arms and frame draw the rolls '54 into driving engagement with the reel 50. For convenience in removing and replacing this reel, there is illustrated means for temporarily drawing the rolls 64 away from the reel-cheeks with which they contact. This means may consist of a crank-shaft I0 journaled across the frame above the rolls. 54 and having its cranked portions joined to the arms 66 by links I2. An actuating crank 44 may be turned by the operator through such an angle that the rolls will be ele vated to free the reel, the parts being held in this relation until restored by the operator by engagement of the crank with a fixed pin 16 on the frame.

At the same time the separator L is drawn off, as just described, the liner 1 is wound upon a core 13 supported by the squared inner ends of opposite spindles 80 and 82 rotatable in bearings in the frame below the shaft 44. The spindle 80 is turned by sprocket-gearing 84 fromthe shaft 44 through a friction device 85 (Fig. 8). To facilitate the removal and replacement of the core, the spindle 82 is longitudinally movable in its bearing 88 to separate it from the opposite spindle, being releasably held in its core-supporting position by a latch 90 pivoted upon the bearing 88 and entering a circumferential groove in the spindle. Moreover, this bearing is trunnioned. upon the ends of screws 92, so it may be turned about a vertical axis and thus allow the core to be swung out of alinement with the spindle 80. After releasing the latch, the spindle 82 may be slid through its bearing to the left (Fig. 4) until the core is free from the spindle 3G, and then the spindle 82 and the core turned upon the trunnions. This permits the core to be removed without interference.

To control the unreeling of the stock R by force applied to the countershaft 48 as determined by the condition. of the loop r of stock, there is situated above the center of this loop a roll 94 upon the end of a long substantially horizontal lever-arm 9B projecting from a fulcrumshaft 88 turning in the frame. A short arm I09, fast upon the fulcrum-shaft, extends above the upper extremity of a vertical rod I 82 mounted to' The pears in Fig. 1 of the drawings, when there is a substantial length of the stock in the loop 1', so the feeding mechanism B may draw from it without the necessity for unreeling additional stock,

the loop hangs clear of the roll 94, and the weight 1 of the lever-arm 96 removes the arm I50 from the rod I02. The clutch 54 at this time slips, and the unreeling system is at rest. This continues until the advance of the stock for embossing and cutting raises the loop against the roll, turning the arms 96 and Hill anti-clockwise (Fig. 1). This, with the requirement of small expenditure of energy, because of the excess of length of the arm 96 over the arm liJIi, forces down the rod I02, actuating the lever I54 to produce engagement of the clutch 54. The shaft 48 is thereby rotated and, through the gearing 45, turns the sprocket-wheels 42. These, by their action upon the chains 4| of the separator L, rotate the reel 40 to draw therefrom the separator and stock, the latter lengthening the loop 1* and freeing the controlling elements to release. the clutch 54 and stop the unreeling. During this delivery of the stock, the separator L is being simultaneously wound upon its reel by the action of the rolls 64, the friction 4! slipping as the coil accumulates. In the same manner, the liner 1 is coiled upon the core 18, and its increasing diameter is compensated for by the slipping of the friction 86. The reels 40, 60 and I8 are simultaneously controlled in their action by their connection to the countershaft 48. This goes onuntil the stock R upon the reel 40 has become exhausted. The empty stock-reel and the two coils of separator are thereupon removed from their supports and rep-laced by a full reel 40 and empty ree s 60 and I8, and the unreeling operation repeated.

The feeding mechanism B is shown as in two sections. Journaled in brackets across the incoming end of the frame 32 is a feeding roll I I0 (Figs. 2 and 11), which draws forward the unreeled stock, elevating it from the loop T. An idler-roll II2, rotatable below the roll H0, is so located as to increase the peripheral engagement of the stock with the feed-roll, and also serves to guide the stock to determine the lateral position of the web with respect to the embossing mechanism C and cutting mechanism D. For the latter purpose, the roll II 2 has guideflanges II 4, II 4 (Fig. 27) adjustably secured upon it by screws H6, which draw divided portions of the flanges together. These flanges, positioned as desired longitudinally of the roll for webs of different widths, contact with the edges of the web being fed and retain it in the correct path. From the roll IIO the stock proceeds along a horizontal table H8 at the top of the frame 32 through the embossing mechanism C and upon a feeding belt I20, which, in addition to advancing the stock, provides a surface upon which the mechanism D makes its cut. At one side of the table H8 is a vertical gage-wall ll! (Figs. 11 and 2'7) to assist the roll-flanges I I4 in alining the stock. At the entrance-end the wall may be provided with an overhanging stock-retaining flange, and both the wall and flange are shown as having inclined throat-portions. By slot-and-screw connections I I9, the wall I I? may be adjusted toward and from the path of the stock upon the table to best position it for the particular width being operated on. The belt I20, of rag-stock or other relatively soft penetrable material, operates over a driving roll I22 and a guide-roll I23, these having shafts I24 and I25, respectively, journaled horizontally in the frame 32. A horizontal run I26 of the belt between these rolls supports the stock for each cutting operation, and then advances it to present another area to the cutting mechanism. From the rolls I22 and I23, the belt I20 passes about a lower guideand tensionroll I28, its path being generally triangular. The roll I28 is rotatable about a spindle I30 carried at the lower extremities of slide-rods I32, I32 (Fig. 10) arranged to move vertically in the frame. Each rod is provided with a longitudinal series of rack-teeth I34, with which meshes a pinion I36, these pinions being respectively fast upon the ends of shaft-sections I38 and I40 journaled at opposite sides of the frame and horizontally alined with each other. The inner ends of both shaft-sections are surrounded by a sleeve I42, and about the section I40, at the end of the sleeve, is a collar I44 having at its inner side a circumferentially elongated depression I46 arranged to receive a projection I41 from the adjacent side of the sleeve. Encircling the shaftsections I38 and I40 are torsion-springs I48 and I49, respectively, secured at their outer extremities to the frame. The inner end of the spring I48 engages a set-screw I56, which also normally clamps the sleeve I42 to the shaft-section I38. A similar set-screw I52 in the collar I54 is engaged by the spring I 49. It will be seen that the two springs may be caused to act together to rotate the pinions I36 and force down the rods I32, thus urging the roll I28 against the belt I20 to place it under'tension and produce a smooth surface at I26 for the cutting operation. At the same time, because of the capability of relative movement between the shaft-sections through the connection I46, I41, the rods may yield independently against the respective springs to compensate for inequalities of the belt across its width. By loosening the set-screws I50 and I52 and applying a wrench to openings I53 in the sleeve, said sleeve and collar may be rotated upon the shaft-sections to vary the tension of their springs, and the set-screws again tightened to hold this adjustment. When the belt I20 is to be changed, the shaft-sections are rotated together by a crank I 54 upon the outer end of the section I38, this elevating the rods I32 and raising the roll I28 clear of the belt. Here it may be temporarily retained by a latch-pin I56 movable through the frame and entering a depression at I58 in the adjacent rod.

To transmit power from the driving mechanism F to the feeding belt I20 and roll H0, said mechanism has a lever I60, which is continuously oscillated, as will later appear, upon a short horizontal shaft I62 (Figs. 3 and 10) rotatable at one side of the frame, and which furnishes its fulcrum. Guided for adjustment longitudinally of the curved upper arm I 6| of lever I60 is ablock I63 joined by a link I62 to an arm I66. The lever-arm I6I is curved substantially on an arc of which the pivotal connection between the link I64 and arm I66 is a center. Said arm I66, through a Horton or other one-way clutch I68 carried by the shaft I24, rotates the roll I22 step by step in one direction to advance the belt I20 and thus the stock through the mechanisms C and D. From the shaft I24, sprocket-gearing I10 turns the shaft I25 of roll I23, while, by way of sprocket-gearing I12, an idle shaft I14 and sprocket-gearing I16, the feed-roll I I0 is rotated to lift the stock from the loop 1' in steps of the same length as said stock is advanced by the belt I20. I

The length of the feeding steps, and therefore the spacing along the web of the areas from which soles of different sizes may be cut, is determined by the adjustment of the block I63. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the block has, movable in slots formed in it and extending transversely of the lever-arm I6I, a nut I18 to receive a screw I arranged to turn upon the lever I60. The lower end of this screw is joined by bevel-gearing I82 and spur-gearing I86 to a sleeve I88 capable of rotation about the shaft I62 and having integral with it a hand-wheel I90. Splined to the shaft I62 to move longitudinally thereof, so it may be forced against the hand-wheel, is a collar I9I. The collar and hand-wheel may be clamped together by a hand-nut I02 threaded upon the end of the shaft I62. The edge of the collar, which is inclined, preferably bears an index-mark I94 (Figs. 2 and 10), along which may move a scale I 96 upon the face of the handwheel. The scale may be graduated in solesizes. With the nut loosened, the hand-wheel may be turned until the size-mark for the sole which is to be produced is brought into registration with the index-mark. Through the gearing I86 and I82, this will rotate the screw I80 and thus move the block I63 until such a throw is imparted to the arm I66 as to give the correct length of feed-step. The setting having been made, the hand-wheel is locked against rotary displacement upon the shaft by the nut I92. Since the feed-roll H0 is driven from the shaft of the belt-roll I22, the extent of movement of which may be altered in the manner just indicated, the rotation of the roll is similarly varied. Therefore, whatever adjustment is made, it affects the two portions of the feed mechanism in the same way, so the web of stock is advanced uniformly. On account of the curvature of the lever-arm I6I and the capacity for relative transverse movement between the block I63 and screw I80, the shifting of the block along the lever-arm does not move the arm I66. Consequently in making the feed-adjustment, the operator is not compelled to turn the various elements actuated by said arm I 66.

As the stock passes over an opening in the table I l 8, it comes under the influence of the embossing mechanism C, which is illustrated in Figs. 2, ll, 19 and 27. Arranged to slide in horizontal ways 200 extending longitudinally at one side of the frame 32 is a carriage 202, from which arms 204 extend upwardly into the plane of travel of the stock. Ful'crumed at 206 upon these arms are jaws or pressure-levers 288 and 2), with their inner arms extending respective- 1y above and below the stock. The levers are oscillated oppositely by cams 2|2 operating in boxes 2l4 upon the outer extremities of thelevers, these cams being splined upon a shaft 2! 6 joumaled horizontally in the frame longitudinally thereof and parallel to the path of the stock. The shaft M6 is rotated by a chain of connections to the driving mechanism F, these including bevel-gearing-2l8 (Fig. 10), a vertical shaft 220 turning at the outside of the frame, bevel-gearing 222 and a horizontal shaft 224. The latter shaft has secured to it a crank 225, which oscillates the feed-lever I68 by engagement with a slot 22'! therein (Fig. 3). The inner ends of the levers 208 and 2H] are divided vertically at 226, and upon each of these spaced portions are upper and lower ways 228, 228. Upon the ways of each lever a carrier-block 238 is mounted to slide. The upper block may be moved on its ways by a shaft 232 journaled in the arm 208 and threaded into the block at 234. A hand wheel 236 is provided upon the outer end of the shaft 232, to be turned by the operator for the adjustment of the carrier-block along the lever. At its inner extremity, the shaft 232 is joined by bevel-gearing 238, universal connections 240 and bevel-gearing 242 to a shaft 244 rotatable in the arm 2H! and there having threaded engagement with the corresponding carrier-block. These connections cause the upper and lower carrier-blocks to be moved together upon their ways when the hand-wheel 236 is turned, and

thus are kept in constant registration with each other.

upon its outer end. In either holder, one or more bossing dies 254 may be clamped by set-screws 256 threaded into the holders and engaging stems 258 of the dies, which stems enter openings in the holder. For example, a trade-mark-design and a size-designation may be thus mounted, while opposing these in the opposite lever may be similarly mounted a smooth co-operating platen 259. The embossing elements are moved positively, without yield, into engagement with the rubber stock. At the end of the embossing travel the die and platen are separated by a definite space, causing the die to enter the soft rubber to a predetermined distance and to produce a clear impression. After the impression has been made, the stock is freed from the emelements by stripper-plates 268 surrounding said elements and yieldably mounted upon the holders. The inversion of these elements, that is, the location of either the dies or platen upmost, allows the embossing to be done upon the upper or under side of the stock, when a, single arrangement of the mechanism D with either the knife K or N is to be used to produce both an inside bevel and an outside bevel. Moving the carrier-blocks and their embossing elements along the levers 288 and 2H] by the handwheel 235 causes the position of the impression upon the stock to be shifted transversely of the web, and thus the relation upon the soles thereafter cut, to properly locate the designs upon the shank-portion for different size soles.

. As the length of the feeding steps of the stock is altered under the control of the hand-wheel I90 to provide for the economical cutting of soles of difierent widths, the embossing mechanism must be correspondingly adjusted to locate the embossing symmetrically upon said soles. This I effect by shifting the levers 268 and 2H) bodily longitudinally of the web of stock. The carriage 292 of the embossing mechanism has a threaded connection at 262 with a screw 264,(Fig. 27) arranged to turn horizontally in the frame. Bevelgearing 266 connects the screw to a horizontal transverse shaft 268 extending to theoperators side of the apparatus and there provided with a hand-crank 216. The crank may be joined to the shaft by a separable projection and depression 222, so normally it may hang'loose to avoid accidental displacement of the parts controlled, or may transmit its rotation to the shaft when the projection and depression are in engagement. This rotates the screw 264 to move the carriage 262 toward and from the mechanism D. As the levers 286 and 2m are moved in one direction or the other along the shaft 2| 6 by this travel of the carriage, the cams 2H2 are shifted with them by contact of a flange 213 formed integrally with them and projecting between the lever-boxes 214. The amount of this movement for a particular width of sole may be indicated by a disk 2'84 rotatable upon a short horizontal spindle 276 fixed upon the frame, said disk having a graduated periphery, appearing through a sightopening 2'58 in the frame (Fig. 2). The disk has fast upon it a worm-Wheel 286 meshing with a worm 282 upon the shaft 268, so the disk turns as the setting of the carriage is effected. The correct adjustment is determined by bringing the chosen size-graduation upon the disk into registration with an index-mark 284 upon the frame at the edge of the opening 218.

Associated with the embossing mechanism is a gage member in the form of a pin 296 (Fig. 19) mounted to move vertically through the carrierblock of the lever 208 just at the inner side of the upper embossing element. The pin is situated with its rearward side opposite the center of said element, and is held normally above its face by a spring 292. The feeding mechanism B may be arranged to stop at a half-step when the power is disconnected, or with but half the advance between successive operating areas effected. Consequently, if the operator, in introducing the end of a fresh web of stock, depresses the gage-pin below the embossing element and brings the forward end of the web into contact with it, the apparatus, upon being started, will first complete the half-step of feed. This brings the area for the first sole to be cut into proper position between the die and platen to receive the impression. Since the gage-pin is mounted on one of the carriers 239, it shares with it the adjustment by the hand-crank 276 and hand-wheel 236 for different sole-sizes and jection has a terminal enlargement 308, at the the enlargement.

upper side of which is an inclined surface 3i0 diverging from the horizontal lower surface of Midway between the projections, a latch-pin 312 is movable vertically in the head, having a tapered end urged normally down below the surface 305 of the head by a spring 3 l4. This spindle-end receives a pattern or templet P lying in a horizontal plane and corresponding in its peripheral contour to the work-piece which is to be cut, it serving as a guide for the knife or cutting member K, which undercuts the stock and which is supported and actuated as will later be described. The pattern has two openings 3l3, 313, spaced as are the projections 306 but giving considerable clearance to admit these. Within the openings are surfaces 315 corresponding in inclination to the surfaces 310 of the retaining projections. The pattern to be employed is placed against the surface 335 with the openings 313 about the projections 306, and then forced to the right, as viewed in Fig. 28 of the drawings. When the inclined surfaces 315 of the pattern have slid over the surfaces 3l0 upon the projections until the upper face of said pattern is firmly against the surface 335 of the head, a tapered depression 311 in the pattern will have come into alinement with the tapered end of the raised pin 3 l 2. This pin is thereupon released and forced by its spring into the depression, looking the pattern securely to the spindle-head in the correct relation to the web of stock. For the purpose of cutting either right or left soles, I prefer to invert the pattern P, and therefore the surfaces 3l5 are duplicated, being inclined in opposite directions from the median plane of the pattern. Either of these pairs of surfaces may be brought into co-operation with the surfaces 316 upon the retaining projections, and thus the pattern secured in operating position with either side up. As appears in Figs. 15 and 16, the

pattern P is furnished by a generally sole-shaped plate, which may be of metal, it having a vertical peripheral surface 3I6, a lower inclined peripheral guide-surface 318 and an upper oppositely inclined guide-surface 323. The surfaces 318 and 320 form with each other an external or salient angle.

(Jo-operating with the pattern and situated at the under side of the stock and belt is a vertically movable pressure device Q (Figs. 10 and 11) acting to clamp the stock against the pattern during the cutting operation. To permit the clamp to more uniformly press against the stock and thus adapt itself to soles varying in thickness, the engaging surface may be furnished by a series of independently yieldable members in the form of bars 322 (Fig. 29) extending longitudinally of the web and guided between spaced walls 324 rising from a back-plate 326 of the clamping device. Springs 323 between the bars and. back-plate force said bars normally up, this movement being limited by headed studs 330 passing through counterbored openings in the bars and threaded into the plate. Said plate is shown as guided for vertical movement by a depending rod 332 operating in an opening in the frame.

To effect the reciprocation of the device Q so it may alternately clamp and release the stock andbelt for the successive cutting and feeding operations, the back-plate 326 has depending from it a tubular stem 334, telescoping with which is a plunger 335 having at its lower extremity a head 338. Helical springs 340 are interposed between the plate and head, surrounding rods 342 fixed to the former. The upward movement of the pressure device, under the influence of the springs, is limited by nuts 344 threaded upon the ends of the rods and engaging the under side of the head. Rotatable upon the head is a roll 346 resting on a. cam 348 fast upon the shaft 224. The cam is so formed that, when the stock has been advanced through a feeding step and is at rest, it raises the device Q I to yieldably force the belt I20 against the stock and said stock against the pattern ready for the cutting operation. The stock may further be held smoothly upon the belt both during the operating and feeding periods by rolls 350 (Figs. 5

11 and 18) rotatable upon pairs of arms 352, 352 projecting from sleeves 353 arranged to turn about a spindle 354 carried near the bottom of the housing 300 between the embossing mechanism C and cutting mechanism D. Torsionsprings 356, adjustable as to the force exerted, surround the spindle and engage at their upper extremities the arms 352, to urge the rolls toward the stock. The extent of this movement may be adjustably limited by screws 358 threaded through lugs rising from the sleeves, the inner ends of said screws contacting with the housing. Because of the pressure of the stock against the belt I20 by the rolls 350, proper feeding engagement is assured to overcome the resistance offered by the table H8 to advance.

Surrounding the spindle 302 is a sleeve 364, and about this sleeve and having a bearing in the housing is a sleeve 366 (Fig. 11). The two sleeves are rotated in opposite directions by bevel-gearing 368 (Fig. 10) from a horizontal shaft 310, which is driven by bevel-gearing 312 from the vertical shaft 220. The sleeves rotate two driving members for the cutting mechanism.

The inner sleeve 364 has secured at its lower end a driving eccentric 314, while the sleeve 366 carries fast upon it, just above the eccentric, a driving crank-arm 316 (Figs. 15, 16, 17 and 18). Surrounding the eccentric, in the form of a strap therefor, is a primary cutter-actuating member 4 318. Rising from an arm projecting from the member 318 is a pin 380 fixed thereto and having rotatable about its upper end a roll 382 movable in a slot 384 extending longitudinally of the arm 316. The effect of the arm upon the pin is to revolve it in a circle, this action being modified, however, by the eccentric 314, which moves the pin back and forth in the slot 384. As a result of this, the axis of the pin follows an elongated closed path, roughly elliptical in character, indicated by the dash-line a. in Fig. 18, the major axis of the ellipse extending in the same general direction as that of the pattern. Were force applied to the knife or cutter K to carry it in its stock-cutting travel about the pattern P by direct connection to the pin 380, there would be portions of the path of the knife, as at the shank of the pattern, where the force would not act tangentially with respect to the curved edge of the pattern, because of the difference between the paths of the pin and knife. The resistance offered to the movement of the knife would therefore be increased, and the out less smoothly made. A further modification of the driving effect of the crank-arm over that of the eccentric is therefore produced. Free to turn about the lower extremity of the pin 380 is a secondary knife-actuating member, in the form of a disk 386 rotated constantly by a gear 388 fast upon it and meshing with an idle pinion 390 journaled upon a stud 392 depending from the eccentric-strap 318, this pinion, in turn, engaging a gear 394 fast upon the eccentric 314. Extending across the under face of the disk 386 at one side of the axis is a slot 396, in which a carrier-block 398 may be adjusted by a screw 399 turning upon the disk and threaded through the block. A pin 43%] depends from the block, and mounted to swing about this pin is a carrier-arm 402 for the knife K. Said knife is straight and is removably clamped by a set-screw in rectilinear ways in a holder 403 upon the arm, with the cutting edge of the knife lying at the same angle as the surface 3|8 of the pattern P. The revolution of the pin 408 by the disk 386 superposed upon the orbital travel of the pin 380 causes the pin 400 to follow a path indicated by the dash-and-dot figure b in Fig. 18. This differs from the path a in being contracted at both sides along the minor axis, and thus more closely conforming to the contour of the pattern.

Due to the location of the slot 396 at one side of the axis of the disk 386, this contraction is greater at one side of the path 1) than at the other, giving closer correspondence to the outline of a sole. The force applied to the knife from the pin 480 is, throughout its travel, very nearly tangential to the pattern, causing the cut in the stock to be made most effectively. When the range of sizes operated upon is considerable, the consequent change in the path which must be followed by the pin 400 to obtain the best results may be controlled by adjusting said pin along the slot in the disk 386 by the screw. 399. In its revolution about the pattern, the arm 402 and its actuating elements may receive'the support of and have the reaction to the cutting thrust of the knife resisted by a continuous track or contact-rail 404 carried horizontally, substantially parallel to the plane of the pattern, upon lugs 408 projecting from the inside of the housing 300. A bracket 408 rising from the eccentric-strap 318 has rotatable in it the horizontal stem of a yoke 4 i 8, upon the arms of which yoke turn rolls M2, M2 bearing upon opposite faces of the rail. On the under side of the eccentricstrap is a contact-plate M3 and against this bear projections MS from the upper side of the arm 402. This transmits the thrust of the arm through the strap to the rail 404, while permitting movement of the arm on the strap.

To draw the free end of the arm 402 toward the pattern P, and therefore to bring the knife into operating relation to said pattern, the arm has an extension 4| 4 united by a link M6 to a tension-arm 4| 8 arranged to oscillate about a stud 420 secured to the top of and depending through a casing 422 fixed against movement upon an arm forming a part of the eccentric-strap 318 (Figs. 10, 16 and 18). Turning upon the lower end of the stud is a disk 424, in which is an arcuate series of openings 426, any one of which may receive a pin 428 passing through the arm 418. Within the casing 422, with one extremity connected thereto, is a torsion-spring 430, the opposite end of which engages an opening 432 in the disk. By shifting the pin 428 to one or another of the openings 426, the force exerted by the spring upon the arm 402 may be changed. For holding the arm 402 away from the pattern upon such occasions as when the knife K is to be changed, a latch 440 is shown as sliding upon the top of the arm M8 and movable into engagement with a projection 442 from the casing 422. Normally, the latch is drawn back as appears in Figs. 16, 17

and 18. But when the knife-arm is swung clear of the pattern, the latch may be pushed behind the projection, and the knife-arm held in this inactive position against the force of the spring 430.

When stock is undercut by the knife K, as

shown in Figs. 15 and 20 to 26, inclusive, the point,

of said knife must normally lie above the lower face of the pattern P, against which the stock is raised and pressed by the clamping device Q, and means is provided for depressing the knife for its cutting travel after the engagement between the stock and pattern has been effected. Otherwise the knife, extending beneath the pattern in the cutting position, would initially enter the material of the sole itself, as the stock was raised by the device Q, and mutilate it. I may control the stock-engaging movement of the knife in the following manner: The knife-holder 483 is mounted upon the arm 402 by a vertical extension 444 having alined openings in horizontal lugs 446, 446 to receive a pin 448 fixed in the arm. Upon this pin the holder is free to both turn and move vertically, and is urged normally upward by a helical spring 450 interposed between the arm and the lower holder-lug 446, this acting to hold the point is of the knife above the under face of the pattern (Fig. 20). When there is no opposing force offered to the spring 430, it draws the holder against the pattern with a surface substantially flush with the inner face of the knife bearing upon the pattern-surface 358 in substantial vertical alignment with the axis of the pin 448. Freedom from contact of the knife with the pattern avoids nicking of the former and cutting of the latter. A component of the force of the spring 430 moves the knife down over said surface laterally of the pattern (Figs. 22 and 23), compressing the spring 450, this continuing until a pair of rolls 452, journaled upon the holder 403 with their axes inclined oppositely to the knife, contact with the pattern-surface 320 (Fig, 24). The knife is now in its operating position, the point k being sufficiently below the under face of the pattern to pass through the stock and somewhat into the belt l20, these having been elevated by the clamping device Q. The axes of the rolls lie at the opposite sides of the knife-edge and the line of contact of the holder with the pattern, and substantially equidistant from a vertical therethrough, tending to maintain said edge substantially normal to the pattern-edge throughout its travel. At the completion of the cutting operation and just before the cut stock is freed by the lowering of the clamping device, the knife is drawn from said stock by swinging the arm 402 outwardly to carry the holder away from the pattern and thus permit the spring 450 to elevate the holder until the point Ic of the knife is above the stock. For this. purpose, there is fast upon the pin 400, clamped between the end of a surrounding bushing 454 and a nut 456 threaded upon the end of the pin, a pinion 458 (Figs. 15 and 30). Rotatable about the bushing 454, and separated from the pinion 458 by a washer 460, is a cam 462 having formed upon it a gear 464. 458, which is the driving element, is caused to turn the gear 48 by reduction-gearing 466 rotatable about a spindle 468 fixed vertically at the outer extremity of an extension of the arm 402. Each time the disk 386 rotates under the influence of the gearing 398, 394, it turns through the gearing 458, 466, 466 and. 464 the cam 462, the gear-ratio being such that said cam is turned through 360 during the two revolutions of the knife-arm about the pattern. With the cam con tacts a roll 41!) rotatable upon a lever 412 fulcrumed upon the arm 402 and urged toward the cam by a spring 413. This lever is linked at 414 to a bell-crank lever 416 fulcrumed upon the arm. A roll 418 upon the outer extremity of the lever 416 co-operates with the vertical edge 3I6 of the pattern. The contour of the cam is such that, as the clamping device Q raises the stock (Fig. 21) the roll 478 is forced by the connecting chain of elements against the surface 3H3 of the pattern, and thus the knife-arm is swung outwardly. Released from the downward force produced by the spring 430 acting through the knife-holder 403 upon the pattern-surface 3H3, said holder is elevated by the spring 450, raising the knife until its point is above the under face of the pattern (Figs. 25 and 26). The stock may therefore be raised against the pattern in preparation for the cutting operation (Fig. 21) without th area from which the sole is to be severed bein mutilated by the entrance of the knife. This condition exists during a portion of a revolution of the knife-arm. Then the cam releases the roll 418, and the spring 430, urging the knife-holder against the surface 3l8, causes it to descend, compressing the spring 450. This continues until the holder-rolls 452 are seated upon the pattern-surface 320, at which time the knife is in its cutting relation below the pattern, where it is maintained until after somewhat more than a complete revolution of the arm 402, a sole thus being severed from the surrounding stock. Again the cam 462 acts as first described to withdraw the knife for the descent of the pressure device and. cut sole and the advance of the stock for the succeeding operation. It should be observed that, in its withdrawal, the knife moves along the bevel which it has cut, not entering the stock outside this. As a result, the areas in the web from which the soles are to be formed may be closely spaced and there is no waste of cutting effect.

When forming outside-bevel or straight-edge soles, I preferably utilize the mechanism D arranged for overcutting as illustrated in Fig. 31 in which the straight knife N extends downwardly and outwardly from above a pattern p. This presents an advantage, in that the knife is making the cut in stock which lies beyond the peripheries of the pattern and pressure device, and less resistance is offered to this action than when the knife is operating in compressed stock, as in undercutting. Therefore, the outline of the pattern may be more accurately followed, the cut pieces being free from circumferential irregularities and without fins projecting from the upper and lower surfaces. Then too, the absence of outward pressure lessens the tendency of the pieces to adhere to the remainder of the web. It also permits a considerably simplified structure, as consideration of the following description will render obvious. In view of this, the overcutting arrangement is best used if stockreversal is to be resorted to, instead of the change of cutting devices, as has been described. In

'Ihe'pinion.

Fig. 31 appears the outer portion of the knife carrying arm 562, which may be identical with that of Fig. 15. The arm 582 has a knife-holder 98 pivotally mounted upon its outer extremity by lugs 492, as in the undercutting arrangement. No vertical movement of the holder is necessary, but, to avoid changing the arm 582, it may be used for the overcutting knife N as well as for the undercutting knife K and only the holder 498 substituted for the holder 483. lead to an idle movement of the knife N away from the pattern 22, which movement would not occur were a special arm employed for overc utting. In the latter case, the holder remains at all times seated in the angle of the pattern 19. When the stock R is forced against said pattern by the elevation of pressure device, the point of the knife N enters the material outside the area which is to furnish the sole, and cuts its way in until the upper surface of the stock is in contact with the under face of the pattern. With the elements thus positioned, the knife completes the cutting of the work to its true form by revolving through somewhat more than 350. Then the pressure device and stock descend together, the knife again cutting outside the sole-area until it is clear. At all times its cutting action, during approach and recession and other than that which effects the production of the sole, occurs in the scrapmaterial. tern p tends to retain the holder at all times against vertical displacement under the influence of both the cutting stresses and the weight of the parts, it having about its periphery lower and upper inclined surfaces 49-; and 496, forming a re-entrant or internal angle. Into this angle the lower, knife-blcclr-portion of the holder 498 fits, having inwardly converging faces 5:35 and 582 respectively corresponding in inclination to the pattern-surfaces 48 3 and 555. The block is shown as vertically divided between dovetailed ways 594, 59 (Fig. 34), and in these ways the knife N is clamped by a screw 508, which draws the portions of the block toward each other.v

Instead of rolls furnishing separated lines of bearing for the holder-block to maintain the knife substantially normal to the curved edge of the pattern, said block has the bearing-face 502 furnished by twocurved projections 5H3, 5|0

(Fig. 33), points of contact of these projections with the pattern being equidistant from a vertical plane through the cutting edge of the knife. Such bearing-projections may be formed quite closely to each other, so there is little tendency for the knife to depart from its normal relation to the pattern-edge when there are somewhat abrupt changes of curvature.

There is shown in Fig. 31, in connection with the just-described form of knife-mounting, a contact-rail 5I4, with bearing-rolls 5%, 5| 6 rotatable upon a yoke 5H5, the arrangement being similar to that of Fig. 15. Here, the rail is utilized to furnish a convenient manner of supplying electrical current for heating the knife. If the temperature of a knife employed to cut rubber is raised, it is found that the cut is made more easily, and less frequent sharpening of the knife is necessary, the effect of the heat upon the rubber being to perform a part of the work of dividing it. In the present instance, the heating of the knife is effected electrically, a heating unit 520 being secured vertically upon the holder 498. From the unit, conductors 522, 522 lead to brushes 524, 524 carried by holders 526 (Fig. 32) pivoted upon the yoke outside the respective rolls 5l6.

This will During the cutting operation, the pat- Springs 528 act upon the holders to force the brushes against opposite collector-rings 530, 530 mounted upon and insulated from the upper and under sides of the rail 514. A pair of conductors 532 supplies current to the collector-rings. By this arrangement, current may be delivered to the unit in all positions of the knife-arm. The unit 520 may be so chosen and mounted that there is such a continuous application of current as to raise the temperature of the knife 506 to give the best cutting effect. Though this heating means has been illustrated only in connection with the knife of Fig. 31, it is equally applicable to the knife and its mounting shown in Fig. 15.-

After the sole S has been severed from the webmaterial R, and the clamping device Q, carrying with it the sole and stock, lowered from the pattern P or p, the advance of the belt I26 occurs to move the area operated upon from the cutting mechanism at D and to present another area for cutting. The web beyond the cutting mechanism is led beneath an idle guide-roll 534 (Fig. 11) and then up upon a belt-conveyor 536, which runs over a roll 538 journaled horizontally upon brackets projecting from the housing 300 and over a distant roll (not illustrated). The conveyor is driven by sprocket-gearing 540 from the shaft I of the feeding mechanism. The cut soles, having been under heavy pressure between the pattern and the somewhat; rough surface of the belt I26, adhere to the latter. When the web of scrapmaterial which has not been thus compressed is guided upwardly by the roll 534, the soles leave it and are carried down by the belt I 20 over the roll I23, the inclined edges yielding as the soles are drawn through the web-openings. At the forward side of said roll, the soles contact with a scraper 542 mounted across the frame 32 and having its upper edge resting against the belt. They are thereby removed from said belt, falling upon a forwardly extending conveyor 544 operating over a roll 546 journaled horizontally upon the frame and over an outer roll (not illustrated) This conveyor 544 may be driven by sprocketgearing 548 from the shaft of roll 538. From the conveyor 544, the cut soles S may be removed for utilization, while the scrap is carried by the conveyor 536 to a point at which it may be collected for reworking.

Power for operating the feeding mechanism B, the embossing mechanism C, the cutting mechanism D and the separating and conveying mechanism E is applied to the shaft 224 from the driving mechanism F. This driving mechanism includes controlling means which allows the apparatus to be operated uninterruptedly to cut successive soles from the webwithout attention on the part of the operator, to perform a single operating cycle and thus cut one sole from the web, to be inched or actuated gradually through a partial cycle or more to facilitate setting or adjustment, and to be instantly stopped during operation in any manner. Referring to Figs. 2, 10, 11, 12, 18 and 14 there is supported upon the lower portion of the frame 32 an electric motor 552 with its shaft joined by belt-gearing 554 to a pulley 556 normally free to turn upon a shaft 558 journaled in the frame below and at right angles to the shaft 224, to which it is connected by worm-gearing 566. The outer face of the pulley 556 furnishes one member of a friction-clutch I. The other member is shown as a disk 56I splined to move along the shaft 558, there being a spring 562 interposed between the disk and a collar 564 adjustable upon the outer extremity of the shaft,

passes.

which spring, unrestrained, causes the driving engagement of the clutch and consequent rotation of the shaft 224. A peripherally slotted hub of the disk56l is engaged by the forked lower end of a three-armed lever 566 fulcrumed upon the frame. An upwardly extending arm 568 of the lever may be engaged at 510 by a latch-bar 512 to hold the clutch I open against the action of the spring 562. The latch-bar is pivotally supported upon a lever 514 turning upon the frame and is provided with an adjustable contact-piece 516 for engagement with the clutch-lever 566. A roll 518 upon the lower end of the lever 514 has contacting with it a cam 580 secured upon the shaft 224. Under the influence of the high portion of the cam, the latch-bar, by drawing its piece 516 against the lever-portion 510, acts to move the upper end of said lever to the right (Fig. 11), disengaging the clutch and stopping the apparatus. Because the cycle is terminated with the high portion of the cam in contact with the roll 518, the latched relation, with the apparatus at rest, is maintained until the clutch-lever is freed by the operator. For this purpose and to cause continuous operation of the apparatus, a spindle 582 is arranged to turn transversely of the frame. At the operator's side of the apparatus, the spindle has fast upon it a crank 584 (Fig. 2) having a retaining pin 586, which may engage either of two openings 588 in the frame. At the opposite extremity of the spindle from the crank-arm, there is fixed a collar 590, from which is an inward projection 592 entering a depression 593 (Fig. 14) somewhat extended circumferentially in the adjacent side of the hub of a lever 594 fulcrumed on the spindle 582. This lever may be turned anti-clockwise (Fig. 11) when the crank 584 is shifted from right to left. The movement forces a roll 586 upon the lever into contact with the under side of the latch-bar 512, raising it against the tension of a spring 598 extending between the bar and the collar 590. The portion 516 of the bar is thereby lifted away from the clutch-lever portion 510, freeing the lever and permitting the spring 562 to cause the engagement of the clutch I. Since, as long as the crank 584 is held at the left-hand opening 588 the latch-bar 512 is elevated, the clutch-releasing and latching element 516 cannot contact with the lever-portion 510, the cam 580 is ineffective, and the apparatus continues to perform successive operating cycles.

To produce a single operating cycle only of the apparatus, there is arranged for contact with a short arm 600 of the lever 594 the upper end of a rod 602 guided for vertical reciprocation in the frame and articulated at its lower extremity to an arm 604 projecting from a shaft 606 turning at the bottom of the frame 32 and having secured to it a treadle 608. Surrounding the rod 602 and acting to depress it is a spring 6l0 interposed between a collar 6l2 adjustable along the rod and a horizontal arm- GM of the lever 566, through an opening in which arm the rod The character of the spring 6 l0, it being weaker than the spring 562, is such that the rod 602 may be raised from its normal ineffective position without affecting the clutch I until said rod strikes the lever-arm 600. Although the crank-arm 584 is at this time secured in the non-operating position, the lever 594 may be moved by this contact because of the extent of the depression 593. in which the less angularly extended pro ection 592 may remain at rest. The lever 594 therefore lifts the latch-bar 512 to carry 

